GB2167634A - Header carrier frame control in a harvester - Google Patents

Abstract

A harvester is provided with an inclined conveyor in a pivotable housing (1), at an inlet end of which is pivotably mounted a carrier frame (4, 9, 10) with a transverse carrier member (4) for pivotable support of an header (13). The frame is pivotable, by means of springs (11, 11') and a piston-cylinder unit (12), into an end setting in which it is received in receptacles of support members (3, 3') thereby to be secured against undesired pivotal motion. The receptacle in each support member (3, 3') is openable and closable by a respective spring-loaded latching member (5) and each support member includes ramp surfaces to guide the carrier member (4) into the associated receptacle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Adapter carrier frame control in a harvester The present invention relates to a harvester and has particular reference to a harvester with a carrier frame for carrying an adapter intended to pendulate about two axes in a certain position at an inclined conveyor.

Automotive harvesting machines, in particular combine harvesters and field chaff-cutters, are equipped with receiving devices for different attachment devices for the cutting, picking-up and conveying of harvested stock. For this purpose, the attachment devices are fastened to the front part of the housing of feeding equipment so as to be able to adapt to the contours of the ground.

Thus, in DE-OS 30 41 203, there is described a cutting table suspension in a combine harvester in which the attachment device is detachably retained at a separate frame pivotably mounted centrally to the feed housing. A device is provided to latch the attachment device to the frame so as to prevent longitudinal movement between the frame and the housing and to selectably control the magnitude or the deflection of the pivotal movement of the frame.

Forthis purpose a pivot control, in the form of screw devices, is mounted on both sides and serves for the limitation of the rotary movement of a receiving portion and thereby for control of pivoting of the frame about the horizontal pivot axis.

Engaging at the lower frame part is a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit which is mounted on the harvester chassis and is operable to provide vertical pivotation of the attachment device. The frame on its upper side has a U-shaped connecting portion, on or in which a cross-beam of the attachment device is received and latched or arrested in a predetermined setting by means of a resiliently biassed latching device.

A disadvantage of this construction is that the frame, which is connected firmly in a predetermined setting with the inclined conveyorthrough the screw devices, does not permit vertical movement, inclined forwardly to the ground, of the attachment device.

Moreover, the screw fastening of the frame in a predetermined position by way of elongate holes increases manufacturing costs, material consumption and assembly time. In addition, the articulation of the attachment device to the frame in an upper rotational centre is disadvantageous, as a deflection from the zero position in the case of unevenness of the ground and requires a substantial restoring force.

It would thus be desirable to permit an easy deflection of the adapter or attachment device, with the load peaks being reduced through a direct introduction of the force on the inclined conveyor. In particular, the maximum load peaks, which arise particularly during the field transport of the harvester as a result of swinging-up of the adapter, should be reduced through positional fixing of the adapter and thus inhibition of pendulation without loading the carrier frame.

According to the present invention there is provided a harvester provided with an inclined conveyor disposed in a movable housing, a pivotable carrier frame including a carrier member movable in two dimensions and serving to pivotably carry an adapter, and respective support means arranged at each of two opposite sides of the housing to support the carrier member when pivotal movement of the frame is to be excluded, each support means comprising a support member defining a receptacle for the carrier member, an inlet ramp extending substantially tangentially to a locus of the carrier member on pivotal movement of the frame, and a lifting-out ramp arranged to, in use, extend substantially parallel to the ground in an operative position of the housing, and a latching device to open and close the receptacle.

Preferably, each support means comprises a counterbearing, which is latchable or releasable through a spring-loaded blocking pawl and has an inlet ramp extending tangentially to the inner pivot circle of the carrier member and a flatter lifting-out ramp extending parallelly to the ground in operative setting.

The adapter or harvesting attachment can be lifted from a transport trolley onto the carrier frame and brought into a transport or operative setting. The lifting of the adapter from the trolley provides that at first the upper articulation points of the frame can be hooked into hooks of the adapter and thereafter the conveyor housing together with the frame pivots upwardly, whereby the adapter, under its own weight during the continuing lifting operation, slides at its lowest hinge part into a receptacle provided for this purpose in the lower part of the frame.For this purpose, the carrier member can be moved by means of a piston-cylinder unit, which is mounted centrally on the conveyor housing, so as to slide by way of the inlet ramps and lifting-out ramps into the receptacles of the support means and thus be disposed in a rigid attachment setting, the receptacles being released by spring-loaded blocking pawls which rest loosely on the carrier member. For preference, in order to ensure a secure hooking of the adapter and lifting-off even in an unfavourable position of the harvester, for example in a hollow in the ground, the spacing of the upper coupling points from the lower must widen.

After the lifting-out and attaching operation, the adapter is lowered, while the carrier member slides out of the receptacles of the support means and the pawls again latch the receptacles. The adapter is then secured at its lower connecting point at the conveyor housing and prepared for operative use.

For the transport to the place of use, the adapter is lifted into a transport setting, wherein the carrier member is moved by means of the piston-cylinder unit so as to slide over inlet ramps into a rigid end setting positioned parallel to the upper edge of the shaft and in front of the receptacles of the support means, the receptacles being latched by the pawls.

In order to ensure a central suspension distributing the adapter load uniformly at the frame and, in the case of unfavourable ground inclination, in operative setting to correct possible lateral pulling of the adapter out of its central position, the frame is attachable, in a setting in which it rests centrally on the conveyor housing, by a lug which points perpendicularly downwards from the carrier member and runs into centering means provided with a conical opening portion and parallel guide portion centrally on the conveyor housing.

In this position of the adapter, pendulation thereof is inhibited and the adapter cannot swing up at the conveyor housing; merely the force resulting from the load of the adapter is introduced into the housing, without loading of the frame, by way of the carrier member. In the operative setting where the frame is moved entirely out of the support means by the piston-cylinder unit and the conveyor housing is lowered to the ground by way of another pistoncylinder unit and is held by tension springs in a floating position relieving the ground pressure of skids of the adapter, load peaks produced through swinging-up and pendulation of the adapter are transmitted by way of the lower articulation point at the frame to the conveyor housing as well as to the brake shoes. Consequently, the frame can have a relatively light mode of construction.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a harvester embodying the invention, and of an adapterto be fitted to the carrier frame of the harvester; Figure 2 is a side view of an operative setting of the frame and adapter; Figure 3 is a detail view showing support means for the frame in a latched state; Figure 4 is a detail view showing the support means in an opened state; Figure 5 is a detail view of the support means with hooked-in carrier member of the frame; and Figure 6 is a side view of the frame and adapter in a lifting-out setting, Referring now to the drawings, there is shown part of a harvester 2 having an inclined conveyor with a housing 1.Fastened to both sides on the upper edge of the front opening of the housing 1 are respective counterbearings 3 and 3', which serve to receive a carrier member 4 of a cradle frame 4, 10 and 10'.

Pivotably mounted on an axle 6 at each counterbearing 3 or 3' is a blocking pawl 5, which has the form of an angle lever and is biassed by way of a spring 7. In that case, a limb of the pawl 5 projects into the receptacle.

Arranged at the lower edge of the front opening of the conveyor housing 1 at the right and left are lower hinge points 9 and 9', at which pendulum supports 10 and 10' of the frame are received and movably secured. The carrier member 4 of the frame is connected to the housing 1 by way of tension springs 11 and 11' arranged on the housing and a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 12 articulated centrally on the housing. The springs 11 and 11' and unit 12 effect a vertical, circularly arcuate displacement or pendulation of the frame.

For the lifting of an adapter 13 from atrolley 14 and attachment to the harvester, the frame is drawn by the unit 12 so far against the opening of the housing 1 that the carrier member 4 slides by way of inlet ramps 15 and lifting-out ramps 16, which are formed on the counterbearings 3 and 3', onto the bearing surfaces 8 freed by the pawls 5. In that case, those limbs of the pawls 5, which project into the receptacles of the counterbearings, are pivoted out by the carrier member 4 so that their other limbs tilt onto the member 4. In this setting, the harvester 2 is driven against the trolley 14 in order to lift off and couple on the adapter 13.For this purpose, the housing 1 is lowered so far by a hydraulic pistoncylinder unit 17 acting between the harvester 2 and a central part of the housing 1 that the member 4 of the frame is positioned below suspension hooks 18 and 18' of the adapter 13. Thereafter, the housing 1 is lifted by the unit 17, while the hooks 18 and 18' engage the member 4 and the adapter 13 is lifted out overthewheels 19 and 19' of the trolley 14. Due to the position of its centre of gravity, the adapter slides onto the frame and detents by a guide pin 20 in a lower latch 21.

After the lifting-out and attachment operation, the adapter 13 is lowered into an operative setting, in that the unit 12 on the housing 1 is driven out entirely. In that case, the frame with the adapter 13 tilts forwardly out of the counterbearings 3 and 3' by way of the lower articulation points 9 and 9' until connecting straps 23 and 23', which are connected between the member 4 and the piston 22 of the unit 12 by way of slots 24 and 24', limit the tilting operation loaded by the tension springs 11 and 11'.

The pawls 5 are drawn by the springs 7 onto the bearing surfaces 8 and latch the receptacles of the counterbearings. Thereafter, the housing 1 is lowered by the unit 17 until brake shoes 25 of the adapter touch the ground and the supports 10 and 10' are disposed in nearly vertical floating position at right angles to the ground. Any unevenness of the ground encountered during harvesting is compensated for by pendulation, supported by the biassed springs 11 and 11', aboutthe lower articulation points 9 and 9', while the horizontal pivotal movements are compensated for by way of the slots 24 and 24' in the straps 23 and 23'. In this operative setting, the carrier member 4 absorbs only horizontal forces in the direction of travel.

If transport of the attached adapter 13 is to take place, the frame is drawn by the unit 12 against the front opening of the housing 1 and the member 4 slides over the inlet ramps 15 up to abutment points 26 against the pawls 5, which latch the bearing surfaces 8. By means of the inlet ramps 15, the frame is brought into a position which is parallel to the front edge of the housing 1, where it can pendulate neither transversely nor longitudinally and the conditions are the same as rigid attachment.

In orderto ensure a central suspension uniformly distributing the load at the frame and, in the case of unfavourable ground inclination in operative setting, to avoid possible lateral pulling of the adapter 13 out of its central position, the member 4 has a lug 27 which points vertically downwards and runs into a centering device 28 mounted on the housing 1. For the certain running of the lug 27 into the device 28, the opening of the device 28 is conically shaped and passes over into a parallel guide portion so that the frame always, i.e. during the attachment operation as well as during the detachment operation, lies centrally against the housing 1 even during field transport.

Claims (7)

1. A harvester provided with an inclined conveyor disposed in a movable housing, a pivotable carrier frame including a carrier member movable in two dimensions and serving to pivotably carry an adapter, and respective support means arranged at each of two opposite sides of the housing to support the carrier member when pivotal movement of the frame is to be excluded, each support means comprising a support member defining a receptacle for the carrier member, an inlet ramp extending substantially tangentially to a locus of the carrier member on pivotal movement of the frame, and a lifting-out ramp arranged to, in use, extend substantially parallel to the ground in an operative position of the housing, and a latching device to open and close the receptacle.

2. A harvester as claimed in claim 1, the latching device of each support means comprising a springloaded pawl.

3. A harvester as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a piston-cylinder unit connected between the housing and the frame and operable to so pivot the frame as to cause the carrier member to slide over the inlet and lifting-out ramps and into the receptacles of the support means, the latching devices being openable to open the receptacles and bear on the carrier member when received therein.

4. A harvester as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a piston-cylinder unit connected between the housing and the frame and operable to so pivot the frame as to cause the carrier member to slide over the inlet ramps into a position in front of the receptacles when the receptacles are closed by the latching devices.

5. A harvester as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier member is provided with a downwardly directed projection engageable in guide means on the housing when the carrier member is supported by the support means.

6. A harvester as claimed in claim 5, the guide means comprising a conical entry portion and a straight guide portion.

7. A harvester substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.